Governor Beshear Unveils New Red, White, Blue Highway Signs for Another 42 Miles of I-69 in Western Kentucky

Pennyrile Parkway in Henderson, Hopkins, Webster counties upgraded to interstate

Governor Steve Beshear and federal highway officials along with state and local leaders gathered in Madisonville Monday to unveil a new shiny red, white and blue highway sign marking the long-sought designation of Interstate 69 for a section of the Edward T. Breathitt Pennyrile Parkway.

When complete, state officials say the I-69 corridor will run north to south from the Ohio River at Henderson to the Tennessee line at Fulton – approximately 155 miles. In addition to the Pennyrile Parkway which runs through the counties of Henderson, Hopkins and Webster, the corridor includes sections of I-24, the Wendell H. Ford Western Kentucky Parkway and the Julian M. Carroll Purchase Parkway.

On Monday, Governor Beshear was the featured guest at a “re-branding” ceremony organized by the Madisonville-Hopkins County Chamber of Commerce. Officials say the Governor and Kentucky Division administrator for the Federal Highway Administration peeled away a green-and-white “Future I-69” road sign to reveal a red, white and blue I-69 shield beneath it.

State Senator Dorsey Ridley of Henderson said in a release the shiny new shields are a welcome sight and represent the importance of western Kentucky to the vibrancy, economic growth and prosperity of this great state. He went on to state I-69 is the most important infrastructure project western Kentucky has seen in decades, and will open not only highways, but much needed economic opportunities for western Kentucky.

Completion of the entire I-69 corridor still requires construction completion at the Mortons Gap in Hopkins County interchange, which is scheduled to be completed in 2017, as well as improvements to about 52 miles of the Purchase Parkway from Fulton to Calvert City, a 1-mile section of roadway connection from Fulton to Mayfield and a 5-mile section from Henderson to the Indiana state line. No construction timeline has been announced for those sections.

Register for our Birthday/Anniversary Club!!

X